Citrus briefs

• Citrus leafminer damage is cosmetic but poses no real danger to tree ~ Link

• Despite the tough conditions created by the ongoing drought and low water allocations faced by many Australian citrus growers, consumers can expect high quality, great eating Australian Navel oranges and mandarins this autumn/winter. Australia’s favorite mandarin variety, the Imperial, will be available from this month and Australian Navel oranges will be in stores in May. ~ Link

• Florida lawmakers are considering a bill which would allow citrus growers to plant noninvasive Australian Pines as windbreaks. The goal is to block the wind-borne citrus canker. ~ Link

• Seventy-five percent of US oranges are grown in Florida. The sunshine state’s citrus processing industry produces nearly all of the orange juice consumed in the country, resulting in up to five tons of citrus waste each year. Options for turning that waste into something useful are limited, so the possibility of using citrus waste as a feedstock for ethanol plants is being closely monitored. ~ Link

• A modern citrus refrigeration complex with a capacity of storing more than a half million tons of fruit for export is near completion in Matanzas, Cuba. Cuba exports citrus to Europe. ~ Link

• Produce department tips for picking out choicest fruit ~ Link

• Summer melon salad with honey citrus dressing ~ Recipe